Tim Rusk brings over 30 years of nonprofit work experience to his position as Nonprofit Education Specialist at NAO. He was executive director of an early childhood program in Central Oregon and led the organization from start-up, to a well-respected, tri-county program, and through a successful leadership transition when he left after 20 years. He loves learning, helping people succeed, applying best-practices, and being a part of a strong team. He graduated from UC Santa Cruz (go slugs!), has a Masters in Organization Development from Sonoma State University, and believes in the transformative power of working together for the common good.

Scott Cooper has been the executive director of NeighborImpact, the community action agency serving Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, since September 2012. Scott has worked in the nonprofit sector at federal, state and local level for nearly 40 years. In addition to his paid employment, he has served on 12 nonprofit boards, working in the areas of health, arts education, youth, historical preservation and religion. He played key roles in the founding of a community health center and an incorporating and launching a successful community foundation. He has also been a local elected official 1997. He is currently a member of the Crook County School Board, on which he has served for 12 years. He served two terms as county judge in Crook County and was a Prineville City Councilor and Council President. Under previous Governors he has served on the Oregon State Housing Council, the Oregon Commission on Children and Families, and state task forces tax structure, poverty, education and transportation. In total he, has served on 30 different government-related boards, councils, commissions and committees. Scott holds Master of Arts degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Pacific University and holds the distinction of being the first person to ever receive that degree from that university. He holds an undergraduate degree from the world’s oldest school of journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He and his family live in his childhood hometown, Prineville.

Rebekah Lambert has spent over 35 years serving the nonprofit sector, with early career leadership positions as Executive Director of the Symphony of Southeast Texas and the Eugene Symphony, before a stint in the Peace Corps. Upon her return, she was Assistant Executive Director of ShelterCare, a large human services organization in Eugene. From 2009-2020, she worked with Arts Consulting Group, a North America management consulting firm, serving for a time as Senior Vice President leading its Planning and Organizational Development practice. In 2020, she founded Range2Basin Strategic, a consulting practice focused on planning and governance. After her family moved to Prineville in 2022, Rebekah joined the Crook County Foundation as Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the Yale School of Organization and Management.

A native Texan, Cassi grew up working with youth in some of the most impoverished areas of North Texas. Inspired by the resiliency she witnessed in marginalized communities; Cassi developed a deep passion for public service and a commitment to social change. Her career has included leadership positions at non-profit organizations across the country including Director of Outreach & Education at Chamberlain Performing Arts, and Chief Operating Officer of the Cascades & Alaska Regions at the American Red Cross, and Executive Director of Saving Grace of Central Oregon. Cassi now serves as the Executive Director of Deschutes Children’s Foundation and is committed to supporting children, families, and over 23 partner organizations here in Central Oregon. Cassi is an avid hiker, aspiring martial artist, and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.